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Video Games are Art on Par with Motion Pictures.

I thank FourTrouble for accepting my debate. I hope for a quick and fun debate. And, please, call me USM. It’s easier that way. *** Art is a touchy subject. Art is considered an erudite, cultured, snobby thing. Many movies are on those lines. Just look at such recent motion pictures as The Tree of Life and Melancholia are prime examples of this. However, video games can be just as highbrowed and studious. However, most movies aren’t made by Terrence Malick, and there are a plethora of video games that are not as cultivated as such. However, I think there are three criteria that movies and video games have to meet to be considered “art.” They are: 1 They must have aesthetic appeal 2 They must tell a coherent plot 3 They must deal with philosophical issues and, with that: 1 Both Video Games and Movies have aesthetic appeal Recently, a game called Journey came out onto the PS3. It is what could be loosely described as a “platformer” that is also a meditative experience. Critics lathered over it, Entertainment Weekly calling it, “Mythic and mysterious, thrilling and terrifying, [and] built on the double foundation of smooth technical proficience and a very human heart.” [1] It’s also called, as one IGN reviewer said, “The most beautiful video game I have ever experienced.” [2] It’s a work of art, in short. And, very clearly with such works as The Tree of Life and Melancholia movies can be just as beautiful. In addition, the maker of Journey, thatgamecompany, also created Flower and Flow[3], the latter of which one reviewer basically called it only there to look pretty; so Video game beauty isn’t just a fluke (as with games such as Braid and Limbo).[5,6] Also, the Smithsonian recently held an art exhibit detailing early video games.[7] 2 Both Video Games and Movies have coherent (and good!) plots Portal 2 is a game where one makes portals (duh) in order to solve puzzles in order to advance.[8] I don’t have time to go into depth into the concept of it, but one thing’s for sure: people who call it bad, plot-wise, are out of their mind. It involves you, as the main character, breaking out of Aperture Science and the various complications that go along with it. That includes dealing with one of the best villains that you may see just about anywhere, GLaDOS.[9] The conflict between you and her (although she’s an AI, she’s definitely a she) propels the story forward. It’s a great story. While there have been many a movie where the plot has been excellent (Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Jaws), there has also been games where there are great stories to them also, not excluding Skyrim, Silent Hill, and others. 3 Both Video Games and Movies deal with philosophical issues I am going to say first thing that BioShock is a bloody first-person shooter.[10] It deals with your character, Jack, shooting people and using “plasmids,” genetic mutagens that basically give Jack superpowers, to kill people. However, BioShock is much, much deeper than that. Along the way, it deals heavily with morality. [11] Do you spare that person, because that’s moral, or do you kill them and extract their ADAM (basically, the stuff that makes up Plasmids, correct me if I’m wrong)? [12] Along with such movie classics as 2001: A Space Odyssey; BioShock, along with Shadow of the Colossus, as philosophical works. With all three criteria filled, video games must be art. But, you rebut, is Modern Warfare 3 art? And I ask you, is Battleship, the movie that is based off of THE FREAKING BOARD GAME, art? Is The Love Guru? Is Bruno? I await my opponent’s response. Sources are in the comments.